MANITOWOC - Less than 25 percent of the workforce at Broadwind Energy in Manitowoc was affected by a recent string of layoffs, according to compoany spokesman Joni Konstantelos.

“This has nothing to do with the talent and the dedication of our team, but more to do with what we believe is a temporary downshift in the need for wind towers, particularly in the Midwest,” she said.

According to Konstantelos, Broadwind eliminated two weekend shifts to accommodate the decrease in business.

One employee affected by the layoffs, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, said they were given notice of the layoff through a letter in the mail during a one-week shutdown for maintenance purposes.

The former employee said they were already looking for a different job to support their family and had already scheduled an interview with another local manufacturer.